Youngest player to make 100 appearances in the Champions League: 28 years, 84 days in 2015[528]

Best Defender: Paolo Maldini 5 European Cups​

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Most finals played in – 8 (tied with Gento)

Captain in 2003 and 2007. Longest period between first and last win (18 years), started both finals.

Key member of arguably greatest club side of all-time.

139 Appearances.

Greatest Midfielder: Xavi 4 European Cups​

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Arguably the key component in arguably the greatest club side of all-time. Arguably.

Most completed passes in European Cup history.

Lots of stuff about being better at passing than everybody else.

Clarence Seedorf: Most European Cups at differing clubs (3). 4 European Cups​

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Seedorf's claim lies within winning the trophy at three different clubs. The only player to have done so. Added to this, he has 4 European Cups in total.

Franz Beckenbauer: 3 European Cups.​

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Only player to win the European Cup 3 times in succession as captain.

Absolutely instrumental component in all 3 wins.

Like Cruyff and Di Stefano, responsible for turning Bayern Munich into the world superpower they are now known as off the back of his feats in the European Cup.

Johan Cruyff: 3 European Cups + 1 as manager​

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Won 3 European Cups in a row, being the key component in his team and transforming Ajax from relative unknowns to a world renowned power.

Ferenc Puskás: 3 European Cups​

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Di Stefano's famed partner in crime. The two of them tore the European Cup asunder. Went to Real Madrid arguably past his prime and was still a devastating force. His last European Cup win saw him significantly overweight, but still a lethal striker.

Edit- I better respond all fantastic shouts, Maldini strikes a nostalgic chord with me due to the era, and like most things I think in time when the partisan arguing settles, messi and Ronald will be remembered as true greats. I truly believe that if messi from 2009-2011 had been with any other top ten team in Europe, that team would have two extra titles.

Not the best but a little nod to van der sar who I think won two titles 13 years apart

I was thinking about an all-time XI for the competition, but couldn't quite squeeze in Gento, Ronaldo, Messi, Di Stefano and Cruyff together. The base of that team would be more straightforward though, probably Maier in goals (3 times winner), with a back four of Maldini, Beckenbauer, Santamaria and a right-back - Phil Neal's got 4 wins, but this isn't RAWK so you could fling in Tassotti or Alves instead. Xavi has to go into the midfield and then you want someone who could sit slightly deeper than him for balance and Souness with 3 wins looks like the most credible fit for that job.

for the modern CL, it's a toss up between Cristiano and Messi. Cristiano has more big moments(or at least fewer poor showings in the big KO clashes), Messi has the better single season campaign with the most consistently ludicrous total performances and the more memorable single moments(the second goal at the Bernabeu, the murder of Boateng, scoring 5 goals in one game in the knockout rounds), Cristiano has the most memorable single moments in a single campaign with his 10 goals, all big goals bar maybe one, in 5 games

for the modern CL, it's a toss up between Cristiano and Messi. Cristiano has more big moments(or at least fewer poor showings in the big KO clashes), Messi has the better single season campaign with the most consistently ludicrous total performances and the more memorable single moments(the second goal at the Bernabeu, the murder of Boateng, scoring 5 goals in one game in the knockout rounds), Cristiano has the most memorable single moments in a single campaign with his 10 goals, all big goals bar maybe one, in 5 games

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Pretty much sums up my opinion.
5 consecutive finals and scoring in all five, a better strike rate than both Cris and Messing, that too without being a traditional forward. Di Stefano was crazy.

I chose Cruyff. His leadership at Ajax in many ways shaped modern European football into the era we see today. Messi, Ronaldo may have more trophies, but Cruyff is an icon, hugely influential in how the game is played today.

Who coached Pep at Barca?

So yes, gotta be Cruyff for me. Beckanbaur runs him a close second too. These two are pillars in the European modern game.

In the first five seasons Di Stefano scored 35 goals in 36 seasons...I'd hate to think how many he would have scored if there were group games in those days.

While some of the teams at the time were part-time at best, it is comparable to a weak Group opponent who gets thrashed by a modern day giant. In the semi-finals, Real beat Milan, Barcelona, Athletico Madrid and our own Busby Babes so not all games were walk-overs.

I think it's impossible to differentiate two masters in Di Stefano and Ronaldo but from vastly different eras.

Messi are already in decline though imho. He's not the force of nature he once was a few years younger.

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Interesting point - would it be fair to say that Messi won't win another Ballon D'or? He's showing signs of slowing down and doesn't have Ronaldo's level of desire (though obviously he's very determined himself)

Interesting point - would it be fair to say that Messi won't win another Ballon D'or? He's showing signs of slowing down and doesn't have Ronaldo's level of desire (though obviously he's very determined himself)

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I just think that when both retire they wont be too far apart.

Ronaldo already shown that he can still banging goals at 32, even if he's on decline I'd wager he can still perform a few more season. Messi has yet to fulfill the last few years in top form to replicate ronaldo.

Messi has 3 years in hand, but he still has to perform in those extra 3 years.

Out of interest - if most people seem to suggest Ronaldo > Messi in the CL then why do more people not claim Ronaldo > Messi in the all time GOAT rankings?

In the GOAT conversation Messi seems to be ranked higher than Ronaldo by most people, yet Ronaldo is deemed to be the greater player in the CL (the premier club competition)...

Ronaldo undeniably has more big moments over a longer period of time in the CL, and has scored 4 cl final goals to messi's 2.

Also, since 2011 Messi hasn't really shone in the knockout stages apart from 2015 - thats 1 great year out of 6.

Messi is my favourite player of all time, but reflecting on these thoughts does make me wonder...

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The biggest difference is that if you're not a Madrid or United supporter, CR7 is a lot easier to hate. You won't find very many neutrals who hate Messi. CR7 has a bad "on field" reputation for most neutrals. But off the field there aren't many around who do more for the "little people" than CR7. Even though his antics are sometimes questionable during a game, he really is a class act and a born winner. He gets my vote every time (mind you I'm too young to really know some of the other candidates other than by watching youtube videos). But when it comes down to Messi and CR7, rather than picking one over the other, we should feel blessed to not only get to watch the 2 greatest players of all time (in my opinion) play week in and week out, but we get to also watch them play against each other...

I always wonder how people can vote for players who retired before they were born. You didn't see them play.

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Exactly, it is ridiculous. I highly doubt someone sat there watching all their games either. This is why I will never put a rating on Maradona. I never saw him play and fine maybe he was the GOAT if people say but I can't compare him to any players. I am not going to go by some highlights I saw from youtube.

Interesting point - would it be fair to say that Messi won't win another Ballon D'or? He's showing signs of slowing down and doesn't have Ronaldo's level of desire (though obviously he's very determined himself)

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It all comes down to how Barca do in the Champions League this year and how Argentina does in the world cup. If either of those teams do well it will go to him. The voters love to find reasons why to give it to him and not CR7. I know that titles shouldn't decide who gets the Ballon d'Or but unfortunately it does. With that being said, this could be the first time in a long time that we see a new player being crowned as "the best"...

The reason the likes of Eusébio are not included is that they didn't win enough cups to qualify. Considering the talent on display, 3 European Cups is the bare minimum. Even then, quite a few who have won 3 or more don't make the cut, either.

We're talking about the cream of the crop here who proved themselves year after year in the competition, so it's no shame to not make the cut in this company, especially so given the old format required a club to win its league or win the trophy itself to be allowed entrance.

I honestly don't know who to vote. If I voted Ronaldo it'd purely be because he's scored more goals than any other which is a barometer I loathe to use when comparing players.

I mean, if Ronaldo is better in the CL than Messi why isn't he also considered better in La Liga or overall? Do we only use goals as the gauge in the CL but overall performances in every other tournament? It all depends on what the criteria is. I feel like no player has ever performed to a higher level than Messi has in any tournament so logically I'm inclined to vote him.

Watch the Wembley final v Man United and I think the difference between the two is fairly obvious. Ronaldo could never perform to that kind of level but he could still find a way to ultimately be the match winner for his side which I guess is just as important.

Ronaldo already shown that he can still banging goals at 32, even if he's on decline I'd wager he can still perform a few more season. Messi has yet to fulfill the last few years in top form to replicate ronaldo.

Messi has 3 years in hand, but he still has to perform in those extra 3 years.

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Messi's style of play means he'll be able to continue to play at the highest level long after his physicality has declined. I don't think that's the same for Ronaldo whose style of play demands a lot more of his body. Though he's such an athletic freak that while most players would've took a massive decline physically by now he's still fit as a fiddle.